Texas sheetcake cookies are like your favorite classic sheetcake, served in cookie form! They are everything you love about that iconic buttery chocolate cake – but so much easier to serve!
Great for any occasion, these are beautiful on a cookie platter and so delicious. Customize them with or without nuts, and you’ll have everyone begging you for the recipe!
Learn what makes these decadent cookies so special. Let’s make them together!
These cookies are everything you want them to be! They are soft, buttery, chocolatey and dense. It’s hard to stop at just one, but they are so rich they’ll hit that sweet tooth just right.
Topped with a rich, creamy chocolate frosting, they really are just like a Texas sheet cake in cookie form!
I love sharing my favorite cookie recipes with you, especially when they are a fresh, fun adaptation of a classic. These Texas sheetcake cookies are just the ticket!
Use the drop down Table of Contents menu to navigate this post, and don’t forget to pin it and save these delicious cookies for later.
Why You’ll Love these Texas Sheetcake Cookies
- Easy to Make
- Great for any Season
- Easier to Serve than a Sheet cake
- So Chocolatey!
Love a frosted cookie? Don’t skip these amazing Cinnamon Roll Cookies!
Helpful Tools
- Mixer – Stand mixer or hand mixer.
- Cookie Dough Scoop – Read more about Cookie Dough Scoops here.
- Cookie Sheet or Flat Baking Sheet – A traditional cookie sheet has no sides, allowing you to slide cookies off without ruining their shape after baking. A flat baking sheet works too.
- Parchment Paper – Use parchment or a silpat for easy clean-up.
- Cooling Rack – While not required, it’s nice to remove your cookies to a cooling rack so air can circulate and they won’t continue to cook on the sheet!
Texas Sheetcake Cookie Ingredients
- Flour – All-purpose flour is best here!
- Cocoa Powder – Unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Salt
- Chocolate Chips – Semi-sweet chocolate chips are best here.
- Butter – For that rich, buttery flavor that makes these so decadent!
- Sugar – White granulated sugar.
- Eggs
- Vanilla – Use a high quality vanilla extract, not an imitation.
- Chopped Pecans – Optional.
For the Icing
- Butter
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
- Milk
- Chopped Pecans – Optional!
Variations
- Chocolate chips – Traditionally a Texas sheet cake calls for just cocoa powder. This recipe has an additional layer of chocolate thanks to the melted chocolate chips. Try milk chocolate, dark chocolate or semi-sweet as a variation!
- Candies – Top the icing with a fall candy, such as a candy corn, for a festive touch.
How to Make these Texas Sheetcake Cookies
The full printable recipe is below.
- Preheat oven to 350º. Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and set aside.
- Melt butter and chocolate chips in microwave as directed. In a separate bowl, beat wet ingredients together, adding chocolate and butter on low speed.
- Fold in the dry ingredients and stir in chopped pecans.
- Drop onto a parchment lined cookie sheet, and press down to flatten.
- Bake as directed, remove from oven, and set aside to cool
To Make the Icing
- While cookies are cooling, melt butter, and whisk in cocoa powder and milk.
- Beat in powdered sugar until smooth.
To Assemble
- Spread icing on cookies (if icing stiffens too much, add a few drops of milk to thin it out).
- Top with chopped pecans if desired.
Tips
- Parchment paper works well, but a silpat mat works well too.
- Don’t overmix your dough – this results in tougher cookies.
- Always soften butter room temperature before mixing into dough or frosting. It’s the best way to make sure your frosting is completely smooth, with no lumps!
- Let cookies cool completely before icing. You can spread the icing while it’s still a little warm, and it will melt into the cookies a little!
- Double or triple the recipe using the 1x2x3x tab in the printable recipe card.
Frequently Asked Questions
Historical references indicate that the first time this recipe was documented, it was in a Texas newspaper. Or, perhaps it’s because it’s such a large cake – it could be a reference to the size of Texas. Nobody knows for sure!
The answer is: BOTH! There are benefits and drawbacks to both the cookie version and the traditional version of a chocolate Texas sheet cake. While the cookies will take longer to make and decorate, they are much easier to serve!
How to Store
- Room Temperature – You can store these cookies covered at room temperature for up to 2-3 days.
- Refrigerate – Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
- Freeze – You can freeze these cookies for up to two months in an airtight container or sealed Ziploc freezer bag. Separate layers with parchment paper.
More Chocolate Cookies
Classic Cookies
Texas Sheetcake Cookies
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups all purpose flour
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup chocolate chips, semi-sweet
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ⅔ cups white granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup chopped pecans
For the Icing:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ cup cocoa powder, unsweetened
- 1¾ cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk, whole or 2%
- ¼ cup pecans, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk to combine flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a medium microwave safe bowl, melt butter and chocolate chips, 20 seconds at at a time, stirring between each, until chocolate chips are just melted.
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat sugar, eggs, and vanilla together until mixture becomes light in color and airy (about 3 minutes).
- Gradually blend in melted chocolate and butter mixture on low speed until combined.
- Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just combined. Stir in chopped pecans.
- On a parchment lined cookie sheet, drop dough by the tablespoon leaving 2" between each. Gently press with the bottom of a glass to flatten.
- Bake 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to set 1 minute on cookie sheet. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Icing:
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, melt butter in microwave.
- Whisk in cocoa powder and milk. Beat in powdered sugar until smooth.
Assemble:
- Spread icing on cookies (if icing stiffens too much, add a few drops of milk or warm to thin).
- Immediately sprinkle with chopped pecans to garnish.
Video
Notes
- Parchment paper works well, but a silpat mat works well too.
- Don’t overmix your dough – this results in tougher cookies.
- Always soften butter room temperature before mixing into dough or frosting. It’s the best way to make sure your frosting is completely smooth, with no lumps!
- Let cookies cool completely before icing. You can spread the icing while it’s still a little warm, and it will melt into the cookies a little!
- Double or triple the recipe using the 1x2x3x tab in the printable recipe card.
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